Star Crusades Mercenaries: Book 01 - Lords of War

by Michael G. Thomas

  “Okay, people, we’re going to hit. Time to get ready.”

  She leaned to the right and slammed her open palm down on the cylinder access control. The mercenaries were disconnected from the system, and they climbed out of their cylinder and into the passenger area.

  “Twenty seconds, get ready.”

  The first two looked to her, nodded, and moved to the clamp units. At the same time, the heavily armed soldiers checked their weapons and gear. Their priority was the clamps as the dropship shook violently. One opened his visor and called out to her.

  “Why not leave us in there? The Grunts need our control.”

  Kanjana still had the narrow triple access hatch opened so they could see her. She pointed directly ahead.

  “Because we are coming down near the fighting.”

  She looked back and shouted.

  “Be ready, or be dead!”

  The dropship moved closer and closer to the ground until nothing but a few metres separated them from the rock and dirt. Just before they hit the ground, Kanjana hit the reverse thrusters for the last time. The massive boost dropped their airspeed. It made a difference, but it didn’t feel like it when they made contact. The dropship bounced three times before sliding hundreds of metres until eventually stopping.

  “Everybody out, now!”

  Kanjana jumped from her seat, activated her own visor to close, and pulled a pistol from the mount next to where she’d been sitting. Two of the mercenaries were already at the port hatch and hit the release. The small units blasted out, and they jumped into the warm atmosphere. Kanjana did the same and was followed by the other four. As she hit the ground, she saw for the first time quite how much damage the dropship had sustained in the descent. The entire hull was burnt and pockmarked with hundreds of bullet holes.

  “She’s one tough bird,” said one of the mercenaries.

  “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “Look,” said another.

  They all turned away from the craft and to the direction of the battle. It was nearly a kilometre away, yet it seemed right next to them. Smoke blotted out the skyline, and gunfire and explosions rippled along the low ridge. Kanjana was the last of them to see the four Hornets coming toward them. One of the mercenaries grabbed her and threw her down behind a low line of rocks.

  “We’ve got company.”

  The aircraft came in low and dropped off their three squads of Spires soldiers who opened fire immediately. The fourth came in low but then exploded in a bright yellow flash.

  “What the hell?”

  The sound of gunfire was blotted out by the sound of engines and heavy machinery. Kanjana looked to her left as a six-wheeled heavy transport skidded to a halt. At the same time, a massive land train steamed past and continued on to the battle. A soldier jumped down from the transport and opened her visor.

  “Arana?”

  She smiled at the Helion.

  “Ready to end this?”

  The six mercenaries had already climbed aboard to join their leader, and Kanjana needed little further encouragement. She moved to the ladder attached to the side and pulled herself up. Inside was an odd group of old Byotai, all of which carried a mixture of weapons.

  “Who are they?”

  The oldest of the Byotai spoke, and Arana listened before explaining, only after her own circuits did the work for her. He wore a strangely quilted set of armour, and the rings on his limbs gleamed in the early morning sunlight.

  “I am Kras, and we are the Caldos militia.”

  A pair of massive horns fitted to the land train blared away. The noise was deafening, and each time it sounded, the Byotai cheered and shouted. She moved to the side of the vehicle and looked ahead to the scene of the battle. They were travelling thirty metres from the top of the rail line and parallel to the tracks. Other Byotai vehicles had spread out and were moving down both sides of the line.

  “Incredible.”

  Arana laughed.

  “Yes, I never once thought I would be in a Byotai cavalry charge.”

  Again the horns blared, and then everything changed. The warriors aboard moved to the sides of the open-topped section and began firing. Kanjana looked out from the left and spotted squads of Red Scars soldiers scattering. A Byotai four-wheeled passenger vehicle crashed into one of the larger Red Scars vehicles. There was no explosion, and the Byotai were already spilling out and wading in to fight them with guns and improvised hand weapons.

  “Use it,” said Arana.

  Kanjana looked back at her and followed her eyes to the shape of a cylindrical weapon fitted to the side of the transport area. It was short, much like an ancient swivel gun and attached to a u-shaped mount.

  “Got it.”

  Kanjana swung the unit around and aimed at four Red Scars soldiers climbing over a fallen CD1 Grunt robot. A squeeze of the trigger released a blast of white smoke, and the target vanished in the cloud. She looked back at Arana.

  “Gunpowder, really?”

  Arana bent down and pulled out a Byotai hunting rifle. With a smooth movement, she threw it over.

  “Keep it up.”

  Kanjana returned to her shooting, and the other Byotai did the same. She took aim at any targets of opportunity, but it was already clear that both the Spires and the Red Scars were falling back. All that remained were their aircraft.

  “What about them?”

  Arana nodded toward the Byotai.

  “Thanks to the General, they are not much of an issue.”

  On cue, a flash of light was followed by a smoke trail as a pair of surface-to-air missiles launched from the land train. One exploded too far away, but the second hit the engine, and it spun away out of control. They were now in the thick of the fight, and just before they reached the burnt engine of the train the vehicle skidded to a halt.

  Arana leapt down from the vehicle, Kanjana and a dozen Byotai hot on her heels. They clambered up the embankment and to what little remained of the train. Scores of bodies lay about, but two were slumped against the side of a carriage. Both were still firing away to the North. She ran as fast as she could, ignoring gunfire.

  “Syala!”

  Her sister turned around and took aim before spotting her twin. She lifted up to one leg, using her left arm to support her weight just as Arana reached her. There was no embrace though, as a dozen more Red Scars were moving amongst the wreckage. The Byotai ran past, and at least two fell from gunfire. Kanjana joined them, but she continued to look furtively for the others.

  “Spartan, Khan?”

  General Daniels nodded to his right and down to where the Red Scars assault had ground to a halt. Kanjana didn’t say a word. She slid down and began running into the mist. Syala looked to her sister and grimaced.

  “Help her.”

  Arana nodded and moved away to give chase.

  * * *

  “Duck!”

  Spartan dropped down to his haunches as a metal arm swung overhead. He rose to find Gun and Khan at his flanks. The armour of both of them was covered in bullet holes, yet neither was slowed down by the fight. Gun stepped in and grabbed one of the creatures about the throat. Even with his huge arms, he needed to use both to do the job.

  “We’ll take this one,” said Khan.

  He moved to the left, jabbed at the monster, and then grabbed one of its front legs. Spartan jumped to the right, ducked past its head, and leapt up, using every ounce of power from the suit. He rose up to a height slightly above its head and took aim. The rider didn’t even see him as he put a dozen rounds into his head. Spartan hit the ground, shortly followed by the corpse of the rider.

  “Put it on the ground,” he yelled to Khan.

  Using all of his effort, Khan managed to destabilise the creature, and Spartan pushed hard to tip it on its side. At the same time, Gun pulled his own foe along and proceeded to smash its head against the side of a wrecked vehicle.

  “Khan, watch out.”

  Spartan spotted the enemy behind the
creatures lifting some type of heavy weapon from the wreckage of a Red Scars vehicle. It was so big that two other warriors helped support its weight as it took aim. Spartan moved to protect his friend, but distraction proved enough for the creature to jump up from the ground and smash Khan aside.

  This is it.

  Spartan stared down the barrel of the weapon, and at the face of both the rider less creature and the Red Scars leader. Instead of firing, he removed his mask to show a pale skinned warrior with a sickening grin. That terrible horn sounded again, but it was a lot louder now. From the mist lurched the shape of an odd-looking land crawler. It had been hastily armoured, and along the top were dozens of Byotai. It crashed into the flank of the creature and kept on pushing until the two ended up as a mess of broken metal and flesh.

  Gun was till busy smashing his own enemy as the Red Scar leader nodded slowly. The weapon fired, and a hardened metal dart blasted out. Spartan lifted his arms to block the projectile, but it punched through the left arm and embedded deep into his chest.

  “Bastards!”

  The impact was so great that he fell back to one knee, and then tipped over onto his side. The motor system shorted out, and now the only way he could move was to use his own body. Spartan lifted his left arm with great effort and took aim at the commander. The gun system bleated a warning failure, and at that point he knew it was over. That was not going to stop him, though. Even without power, he forced himself to his feet, barely able to move the partially seized armoured joints.

  “I’m not done yet.”

  The face on the Red Scars commander was all the reward he needed. At the same time, one of his comrades had pushed another reload pack onto the weapon.

  “Hey!”

  The voice wasn’t his. It was female and tinged with the alien tongue of the Anicinàbe.

  Kanjana?

  A single hole appeared in the chest of the commander, and he slumped to his knees. His comrades spun about as Arana and a horde of Byotai ran amongst them. Some fought, but most of them turned and ran. Gunshots flashed everywhere. Kanjana and Arana moved to the right with a number of their heavily armoured mercenaries. Spartan watched them move to the creature Gun was fighting.

  Good timing, damned good timing!

  He turned his attention back to his tormentor and licked his parched lips. He had just one objective. He dragged his heavy feet until he was in front of the mortally wounded warrior. Then he hit the release button, and the front shell hatches opened, at the same time snapped the tip of the lance from his chest. It pulled out of both sets of armour with a whooshing sound.

  Spartan stumbled out and landed in front of the Red Scar. His armour was a mess, and blood ran freely from the wound that had penetrated through both the Maverick armour and his PDS suit. He moved again, but his left leg gave way, and he dropped down in front of his enemy. All power had failed in the PDS armour, and he was forced to open the visor, just to get air into his lungs.

  “I am Ogimà Takosk, of the Red...”

  Spartan coughed, and blood pumped out from his chest. He looked to the alien and laughed.

  “Son, I don’t give a damn.”

  The Red Scars leader blinked twice, pulling his head back a little in surprise.

  “Who...are...you?”

  The translator the alien carried was nowhere as advanced as those Spartan had used in the past. It paused with each word, and yet bore no emotion. Not that he cared, because at that moment he noticed the alien had his gun pointed at his face.

  He began to laugh and looked to his left. The enemy made the mistake of looking there, to see nothing but Gun still wrestling the creature. When he returned his gaze, Spartan’s arm was touching the gun. It went off, but Spartan had already pushed it aside. He locked the warrior’s arm, snapped it, and then ripped the pistol from his limp limb. In one smooth motion, he turned the weapon back around and pointed at his face.

  “My name...is Spartan.”

  He fired a single shot between the enemy’s eyes. The alien snapped back and hit the ground, flat on his back. Spartan then dropped slowly to the ground. Blood loss injury and fatigue finally proving more than even his body could handle. As his eyes darkened, he started to relax, and the pain faded.

  EPILOGUE

  The glory days of the Private Security contractors were long past up, to and during the Great Biomech War. Too many botched missions and illegal operations had led to a massive loss of confidence in the system. The organisations were not banned, but the awarding of contracts for Alliance protection was cancelled, and with this, the largest companies collapsed overnight. Those that remained either provided security to the private sector, or set up for unregistered operations for whichever clients would pay the going rate. These black market mercenaries could be found protecting organisations, as well as moving illegal goods and services through the Alliance.

  CTC would attempt to change this for the first time by working alongside the Alliance military to create a new combat formation, one built upon the technology of the private sector, but with the resources of the Alliance and its expanded territories. This would become the much-vaunted Interstellar Assault Brigade.

  Private Security Directory

  ANS X-45 ‘Titan’, Low Orbit, Karnak

  Spartan opened his eyes. He was lying down on a bed in a white room filled with bright lights. He spotted a pair of Thegns to his right, and his first instinct was to reach for them. As his arm lifted, he spotted Syala waiting near the wall. She wore a hardened cast on her left arm, and a tight bandage around her head and down to one ear.

  “You’re awake,” she said excitedly.

  She moved close and leaned down over the bed. Spartan looked at her and waited for a moment for his eyes to adjust. He tried to speak, but his mouth was dry and hoarse. Syala pushed a cup to his mouth. He took a few swallows, licked his mouth, and slowly lifted himself off the bed. There were tubes attached, and all of them popped out with a disconcerting sound.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  Spartan lowered his feet to the floor, tensed his legs, and then stood up. Arana came in, shaking her head.

  “You crazed fool. I guess you want to check on your friends?”

  Spartan nodded and followed the two sisters out of the small room and into a larger one that adjoined it. A Thegn was treating one of the mercenaries that had a head wound. At the other end were the three he was looking for. Khan and Gun were upright, though both covered in dressings. Olik was on an improvised bed made from three military stretchers.

  “Spartan?” Khan asked.

  All three looked at him, but Khan grabbed Spartan and squeezed him happily, much to Spartan’s discomfort. He almost passed out from the pain but somehow remained standing. Gun remained with the badly wounded Olik, but gave him the biggest smile he’d seen in days. The door hissed open, and in came the familiar form of General Daniels. His bloodied face had been cleaned up, but like most of them, he was still bruised and looked a little worse for wear. He stopped in front of Spartan and cleared his throat before speaking.

  “I see you’re up. That was quicker than expected.”

  Spartan already recognised the medical quarters of the ship, and that could only mean they were back aboard the Titan.

  “We did it?”

  “Spartan, General Makos arrived after we cleared the rail sector. He’s brought with him a small army and has landed to support Caldos and the other remaining outposts. They are beginning to fight back.”

  “Yeah,” said Gun, “But with Makos there, they will not let Karnak go easily.”

  “Makos?”

  “Yes,” said Kanjana, “He escorted Titan in so the Colonel could send in another dropship by remote.”

  Spartan dreaded his next question, but he had to know.

  “Our losses?”

  Arana closed her eyes and looked to her sister before answering.

  “Three of my mercenaries are dead. ” She looked over to the three Jötnar, “Olik a
nd Gun are still being treated for multiple injuries…not that you could tell.”

  Khan lifted up his left hand.

  “And I lost a damned finger.”

  Spartan had to stop himself laughing at the last part.

  Arana sighed before continuing.

  “The Byotai lost eleven killed, and twice that number are wounded.”

  General Daniels rested his chin in his hands.

  “Spartan…Caldos is secure, and the Spires have fallen back to their base at Montu. The Red Scars are scattered, but they are far from gone. Tahkeome will not be happy about this, and we are expecting escalation.”

  Spartan rubbed at his eyes and swallowed, doing his best not to retch. His body had been pumped with drugs, and not even his physique was able to withstand their effect for long. The other looked at him with concern, but he soon steadied himself and lifted his hand.

  “I’m all right. Did we make a difference?”

  General Daniels nodded quickly.

  “Definitely. The remaining enclaves have declared for Makos and his mutineers. He brought ten ships, along with the crew and some of the regular soldiers from the Byotai shipyards, without orders. That, with the news of the victory is making one hell of a difference.”

  “What?” Spartan asked, incredulously.

  “That’s right,” said Daniels, “Makos has declared the Tenth Quadrant independent, and they are calling on the Alliance to honour our old agreement. They won’t rejoin the Empire until real support is sent to the outposts from their homeworlds.”

  Spartan continued shaking his head and stumbled a little. Syala grabbed his arm and held him.

  “He needs rest. I’ll take him back to his room.”

  Khan grabbed his arm and squeezed it one last time.

  “It was a good fight, Spartan. Get fixed. We’ll be going back soon, I’m sure.”